Which Deutsche Grammophon super box to buy?

[Biffo]

Then you should avoid the Leonard Bernstein Sony boxes with different pictures of Lenny on every single cover!

I agree that seeing a lot of the artwork has taken away some of the mystique of LP design. Some labels did great jobs - I love a lot of the paintings DG used and, in jazz, the "Disques Vogue" boxes have ridiculously stylish covers. But Erato, in particular, was not a stylish label...lots and lots of artist portraits with GIANT CAPITAL LETTERS ON TOP 

Still, they beat a lot of the ugly CD reissue series that have gone around recently... like those Sony ones with the gradient bars on the sides, or the EMI and Hyperion ones with the original cover presented in tiny format inside a giant frame...

I have the Mahler and Sibelius boxes, each has a picture of Bernstein on cover - no problem there for me. The Mahler box has the original artwork for Nos 1-5, uniformly gruesome; Nos 6 & 9 are now packaged together with a photo of Lenny, infinitely preferable to the truly hideous cover for  No 6 in its original issue. No 7 has another photo of Lenny but not the very fine portrait that adorns the original LP issue. No 8 has the original cover, a birds-eye view of the orchestra and chorus in the Royal Albert Hall. As three of the albums no longer have their original covers I fail to see the point of the exercise.

The Sibelius box has the original covers, mostly lettering and uniformly non-descript. Why bother?

The Beethoven box does indeed have Bernstein (same photo) on the box and every disc sleeve and is not really 'original artwork'. Doesn't trouble me unduly, at least the cardboard sleeves aren't ridiculously tight as in some of the other issues. Give me paper envelopes any time.

[Biffo]

An afterthought. I still have over 400 LPs and have a treasure trove of artwork, good and bad (mostly bad), to dip into.

Also, for frip21: don't be put off by this digression. Hope you enjoy your DG and Decca boxes. I was tempted the Decca box when it was issued but I already owned too much of the content to make it a viable purchase.

[North Star]

Still, they beat a lot of the ugly CD reissue series that have gone around recently... like those Sony ones with the gradient bars on the sides, or the EMI and Hyperion ones with the original cover presented in tiny format inside a giant frame...

Luckily, the Hyperion anniversary series look just like regular Hyperion discs, with the big wine red frame just on the cardboard put over the CD case.

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

I don't know about the original box, but I found the individual "originals" releases endearing. I think the overall design of reproducing the original cover at a tilt was a clever way of indicating that it was a recreation of the original release. And the notes were interesting. They were not a reproduction of the notes from the first release, but often included reminiscences from the recording producer about the circumstances of the recording session, or the artists. The focus is more on the recording artist than the repertoire. Probably the essays are not preserved in the big box.

Still, I would not want a record collection that consisted of only DG. A combination of a DG box, a Decca Sound box, a Philips box, maybe a Living Presence box a Living Stereo box and a Sony box cover the bases.

[vandermolen]

I like this inexpensive set, especially but not only, for the CD featuring Honegger's 2nd and Third 'Liturgique' symphonies:

[Jo498]

When the first "originals" came out in the mid 1990s, it was among the best and most beautiful reissue series. The tilted covers were a nice option to show the original cover while still keeping a distinction from the first CD issue (not all "originals" discs had had an earlier CD appearance, of course).

Sure, this was an entirely different time with hardly any cheap boxes and not so much quality at budget price, so that such a midprice series with "premium features" was highly welcome (it certainly was for me).

[Pat B]

For me, listening through big boxes is psychologically different than smaller packages, but obviously YMMV. Most of the suggestions above do offer solid-to-great performances at a nice per-disc cost.

The other suggestion I'll add is: buy a subscription to a streaming service, if you haven't already. You can explore and identify your own tastes — no producer or reviewer can do that — at relatively low cost. Then, if you want to expand your physical library, you have a better basis for what to buy.

[Mirror Image]

For me, listening through big boxes is psychologically different than smaller packages, but obviously YMMV. Most of the suggestions above do offer solid-to-great performances at a nice per-disc cost.

The other suggestion I'll add is: buy a subscription to a streaming service, if you haven't already. You can explore and identify your own tastes — no producer or reviewer can do that — at relatively low cost. Then, if you want to expand your physical library, you have a better basis for what to buy.

Too late as he's already bought several box sets. My own suggestion is one that has worked incredibly well for me, but I do realize we're all different with completely different ways of exploring music. The streaming service suggestion is not a bad one and it would enable him to hear a wide array of music that he, otherwise, wouldn't be available to hear in those box sets he bought.

[fripp21]

Thanks for all great input.

I haven't cancelled the Originals box. I surely hope that it arrives.

The covers are one part of the whole thing for me, but surely not the most important. But if I can choose I would go for great packaging and good looking covers, preferably replicas of LP covers. It's the same when I buy favourite movies on blu-ray... I never buy the simple versions, I buy fewer and go for the deluxe editions, steelbooks or with a lot of extras etc. I like the look and feel of them and even though they cost a little more I get a collectible item that looks nice on the shelf in my film room.

I am not interested in streaming services at all. I like physical products. Another reason is that I don't have a setup to get hi fi streaming out to my music system in the livingroom (used for social purposes and listening to music), and I surely don't want to stream MP3's.

I do agree that listening to a box differs from buying the albums individually. That is true. And if I would be focusing on classical music I maybe would have taken the time and effort and build a collection "the right" way. The risk with a box is that you don't get a feel for each album. If the box contains a collection of actual albums that risk is less of course. But then again, if you start from scratch you can play the game a little differently...

I am building my collection of modern music organically ("the right way"), Neil Young, Bowie, Pink Floyd and some other artists. 

The other night I got feeling and "accidentally" ordered "Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition". Nice box... I hope. :-)

[Biffo]

Thanks for all great input.

I haven't cancelled the Originals box. I surely hope that it arrives.

The covers are one part of the whole thing for me, but surely not the most important. But if I can choose I would go for great packaging and good looking covers, preferably replicas of LP covers. It's the same when I buy favourite movies on blu-ray... I never buy the simple versions, I buy fewer and go for the deluxe editions, steelbooks or with a lot of extras etc. I like the look and feel of them and even though they cost a little more I get a collectible item that looks nice on the shelf in my film room.

I am not interested in streaming services at all. I like physical products. Another reason is that I don't have a setup to get hi fi streaming out to my music system in the livingroom (used for social purposes and listening to music), and I surely don't want to stream MP3's.

I do agree that listening to a box differs from buying the albums individually. That is true. And if I would be focusing on classical music I maybe would have taken the time and effort and build a collection "the right" way. The risk with a box is that you don't get a feel for each album. If the box contains a collection of actual albums that risk is less of course. But then again, if you start from scratch you can play the game a little differently...

I am building my collection of modern music organically ("the right way"), Neil Young, Bowie, Pink Floyd and some other artists. 

The other night I got feeling and "accidentally" ordered "Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition". Nice box... I hope. :-)

A good way to buy Mozart if you have none at all. It is a nice box with many fine recordings from the DG and Decca/Philips back catalogue. It is not something I would buy, not least because I have a substantial part of the contents in the exact same recordings already. I hope you enjoy it!